Smokeless-powder saluting charge.



No. 797,218. I PATENTED AUG. 15,1905. P. I. DU FONT. SMOKELBSS POWDER SALUTING CHARGE.

APPLICATION FILED MARS, 1904.

V a- "Ag mnnuuntnzu w/masse's; W

91 5%; Mala 09. W

)4 TTORNEVJ,

NORRIS PETERS, Inc. Lltno.. WASHINGTON. D. c

UNliTED STATEg PATENT orrrcn.

SMQKELESS PQWDER SALUTENG CHARGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15, 1905.

Application filed March 9, 1904. Serial No. 197,225.

, cartridge has been manufactured for this purpose. The operation when a saluting charge was fired was simply to place a charge of the powder in the breech of the gun and fire in the'usual way. This, it was found, often resulted disastrously. sometimes bursting the gun, the reason being the imperfect ignition of the grains of powder. In fact, most of the grains were not fired at all and they choked up the gun. and the confined gases back of them in expanding produced the disastrous results. Y

My invention consists of an arrangement of quick-burning ignition powder within a charge of smokeless powder and also in forming an annular space between the charge of smokeless powder and the "gun or cartridge case, so that after complete ignition of the charge the gases generated will have opportunity to expand and the grains of powder will be thrown outward rather than forward for the purpose of rendering ignition and explosive expansion complete.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the cartridge. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

a is the brass cartridge-case. The charge of smokeless powder is contained within the bag 6, which is composed, preferably, of cloth made of guncotton. The priming-powder is contained within the priming-tube 0, which is also composed, preferably, of cloth made of guncotton and is located centrally within the smokeless powder charge. As a primingpowder 1 use. a quick-ignition powder, preferably the kind known as fuse-powder.

d is a support serving to space the charge from the cartridge-case or from the gunchamber where a cartridge-case is not used, maintaining the charge centrally within the cartridge-case or gun. I prefer as a support to use ropes of guncotton or other explosive material wrapped once around the charge,

although any suitable form of support may be used. The space provided by the support (Z between the charge and the cartridge-case or gun-chamber allows freedom of burning and permits expansion of the gases after the ignition and during the explosion of the charge, the grains of powder being thrown outward rather than forward. V

By the construction just described I entirely avoid the condition hereinbefore referred to of a part only of the charge becoming ignited while another part acts as a projectile, and thus avoid the uncertain results and the danger of bursting a gun arising from this condition.

Having now fully described'my invention, what 1 claim, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is

1. A saluting charge consisting of a bag containing a charge of powder, a primingtube within the bag, and a support of explosive material outside the bag adapted to leave a space between the bag and its containing medium.

2. A saluting charge consisting of a bag of guncotton cloth containing a charge of powder, a priming-tube of guncotton cloth centrally within the powder charge, and one or more ropes of guncotton wrapped around the bag.

3. A cartridge consisting of a cartridgecase, a bag within the case containing a chargeof powder, a tube within the bag containing a quick-burning ignition charge, and a support of explosive material adapted to maintain the charge centrally within the case and leave an annular space between, the charge and the case.

4. 'A cartridge consisting of a bag of guncotton cloth containing a charge of powder, a priming tube of guncotton cloth centrally within the powder charge and containing a charge of quick-burning ignition-powder, a cartridge-case of greater diameter than the powder charge, and one or more ropes of guncotton wrapped around the bag and spacing the same from the wall of the cartridge.

5. A saluting charge consisting of a combustible receptacle, a powder charge within the receptacle, and a support outside the receptacle adapted to leave a free space between the charge and its containing medium.

6. A saluting charge consisting of a combustible receptacle, a powder charge within'the receptacle, a quick-burning ignition charge within the powder charge, and a support outside the receptacle adapted to leave a free space between the powder charge and its containing medium.

' 7. .A cartridge consisting of a cartridge- -case, a combustible receptacle within thesame containing a powder charge, a quick-burning ignition charge within the powder charge, and a support adapted to space the receptacle from the cartridge-case.

I 8. A saluting charge consisting of 'a combustible receptacle, a powder charge within the same, a quick-burning ignition charge within the powder charge, and a support adapted to' extend'around, the receptacle. and maintain a free space surrounding the powder charge and between it and its containing medium;

9. A saluting charge consisting of a combustible receptacle containing a charge of pow.- der, a priming-tubewithin the receptacle containing a quick-ignition powder, and a support outside the receptacle adapted to leave a space between-it and its containinglmedium.

10. A saluting charge consisting of a com bustible receptacle containing a charge of pow' der, 'a p'rin'iing-tube centrally within the powder charge and containing a charge of quick: burning ignition-powder, and a support outside the receptacle adapted to leave a space between the bag and its containing medium.

11. A saluting charge consisting of a receptacle of explosive material containing a charge of powder, a priming-tube within the powder charge, and a support outside the powder re- I 'ceptacle adapted'to leave a space between the powder-receptacle and its containing medium to allow free burning and expansion of the es- 12. A cartridge consisting of a 'cartridgecase, a receptacle of explosive material within the case containing a charge of powder, a tube within the powder chargecontaining a quickburning ignition charge, and a'supp ort adaptred to maintain the charge centrally within the case and leave'an annular space between the charge andthe case.

' 13. A saluting charge consisting of a combustible bag containing a charge of smokeless powder, and a combustible priming-tubewith in the bag containing a quick-ignition powder. 1 L A saluting charge consisting of a bag of guncotton cloth containing a charge of smokeless powder and a priming-tube of gunjcotton cloth centrally within the smokelesspowder charge.

In testimony of which invention I have hereunto set my hand, at Wilmington, on this 29th day of February, 1904.

l I FRANCIS 1. DU Poivr.

Witnesses;

HENRY DRURY, I D. M. lvlACDONALDr. 

